Decoy Program One Tool for Hunting Enforcement

SEELEY LAKE – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Game Warden Bill Koppen worked with the state to initiate the FWP decoy program in Great Falls, Mont. 25 years ago. Ever since, Koppen has used simulated decoys during the hunting season as a deterrent to keep people from shooting from vehicles and hunting public roads. During the 2014 and 2015 seasons he wrote citations that produced 30 convictions, 15 of which were to hunters who took illegal shots at the decoy.

In Montana, enforcement officers can legally run a simulated decoy. According to Montana Code Annotated 87-3-109, "It is unlawful for a person to discharge a firearm or other hunting implement at a simulated wildlife decoy in violation of any state statute or commission rule regulating the hunting of the wildlife being simulated when the decoy is being used by a certified peace officer.

Upon conviction, the penalty for attempting to hunt a simulated wildlife decoy is the same as prescribed for the state statute or commission rule violated during the attempted hunting of the actual wildlife being simulated. In addition to any other penalty, a person convicted under this section shall pay restitution of $50 to the department for the repair of damages to simulated wildlife decoys."

"If someone shoots a decoy they are embarrassed," said Koppen. "People think it is entrapment and it's not. As long as it is in the wild and it's out there where all these animals are and I'm not telling people where it's at or trick them into going into the area, it is all legal."

Koppen did all the research to help the decoy program get started in Great Falls. He chose eight active programs across various states including Minnesota and Arizona to find out how their programs worked. He was told that the decoy had to move or no one would shoot it.

For $800 he built the first decoy. He named Servo after servomotor, a rotary or linear actuator that allows for precise control of angular or linear position, velocity and acceleration. Servo was equipped with a motor to move the head and a remote-control flag system so when the decoy was shot, the flags would pop up to get people to stop shooting.

When Koppen started running the decoys, he only put it in a place where a hunter could not take it legally. Some examples include: spotlighting, over limits, taking an animal on private land where owner-permission is required to hunt or in an area where poaching was reported.

After moving to Seeley Lake 21 years ago, Koppen brought the decoy program with him. He implemented it by only setting the decoy where they could not be taken legally until five years ago.

Koppen said, "We've got a real road hunting problem. We've got a real shooting-out-of-vehicle problem, I've got to start putting the decoy out during the day because I've got to stop this."

With permission from his supervisors, he expanded the decoy program, running it in places where it is legal to take the animal. If a hunter chooses to shoot the decoy illegally, then they are subject to the fines for their action and the $50 restitution.

Koppen has deer, elk and bear decoys including trophy bull and buck racks down to spikes. He prefers to run the middle-sized animals so people cannot claim entrapment, even though he can legally set a trophy decoy.

Some of the citations Koppen has written under the decoy program include: shooting from the right of way, shooting while leaning on the vehicle hood or tailgate which is the same as shooting from a road, shooting from within the vehicle, over limits, filling someone else's tag and hunting without a tag or license. This includes shooting at a spike elk, which are illegal to shoot in most areas in Montana including the local area.

"Everybody is trying to figure out angles asking, if we get caught, how can we explain this. It gets you into so much trouble," said Koppen. "Just follow the rules and the laws. They are not that tough and if you have questions call. But don't try to get this the easy way. Hunting is hard and it doesn't mean shooting from a vehicle or resting on a vehicle. It means getting out and giving the wildlife a chance."

Koppen continued, "People ask [me], 'When are you going to quit running the decoy program?' I tell them as long as I'm the game warden I'll run a decoy. I put them up random places and random times. It's served as a real good deterrent and people know it is happening but there [are] always people shooting them."

Koppen said that game wardens are not the only ones who can enforce the laws. He encourages anyone who sees illegal behavior to report it to 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668). He said all he needs is a description of the perpetrators and their license plate to be able to follow up on the information.